Song of Solomon 8

1 O that you were to me like a brother who nursed at my mother’s breasts! If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me.

Oh that some one would make thee as my brother that hath sucked my mother's breasts! should I then find thee without, I would kiss thee; and yet, people would not despise me.

2 I would lead you and bring you to the house of my mother who taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates.

I would lead thee, I would bring thee into my mother's house, thou shouldst teach me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, of the sweet juice of my pomegranate.

3 His left hand is under my head, and his right arm embraces me.

Oh that his left hand might be under my head, and that his right hand might embrace me.

4 O daughters of Jerusalem, I adjure you: Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, why will ye awaken, and why will ye excite my love, until it please [to come of itself]?—

5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? I roused you under the apple tree; there your mother conceived you; there she travailed and brought you forth.

Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her friend?—Under the apple-tree have I waked thee up; there thy mother brought thee forth; there brought thee forth she that bore thee.

6 Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as unrelenting as Sheol. Its sparks are fiery flames, the fiercest blaze of all. (Sheol h7585)

Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm; for strong as death is love; violent like the nether world is jealousy; its heat is the heat of fire, a flame of God. (Sheol h7585)

7 Mighty waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned.

Many waters are not able to quench love, nor can the rivers flood it away: if a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, men would utterly despise him.—

8 We have a little sister, and her breasts are not yet grown. What shall we do for our sister on the day she is spoken for?

We have a little sister, and she hath yet no breasts: what shall we do for our sister on the day when she shall be spoken for?

9 If she is a wall, we will build a tower of silver upon her. If she is a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar.

If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.—

10 I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. So I have become in his eyes like one who brings peace.

I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favor.

11 Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-hamon. He leased it to the tenants. For its fruit, each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver.

Solomon had a vineyard at Ba'al-hamon; he had given up the vineyard unto the keepers; every one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.

12 But my own vineyard is mine to give; the thousand shekels are for you, O Solomon, and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit.

My vineyard, which was mine, was before me: thine, O Solomon, be the thousand, and let two hundred be for those that keep its fruit.—

13 You who dwell in the gardens, my companions are listening for your voice. Let me hear it!

“Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions listen for thy voice: oh let me hear it.”

14 Come away, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.

Flee away, my friend, and be thou like the roebuck, or the fawn of the hinds, upon the mountain of spices.